Recently there have been a number of sightings of Marsh Harriers on the Reserve.
On 30th August we watched a female/juv hunting over the wetlands from the hide. It was being harassed by Corvids which it eventually managed to see off before coming down to preen on nearby cut rushes. It stayed here for at least half an hour before flying off in the direction of the estuary. There appeared to be another bird watching the scene from a forked tree in the wood in front of Rogersceugh farm. Norman and Dave had also been present in the hide so we all managed to get some good sightings.
Click to Flickr link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46441928@N07/9731173684/
Again on 9th, we saw the same bird hunting in virtually the same place in front of the hide. This time I spotted another Harrier sitting in the willow tree, at end of the causeway, above it.
Female/Juv in the reeds at the end of the causeway.
. . . with a male (perhaps) sitting in the trees above.
Female /juv putting up the duck.
Then on 10th September, John Howard sent some photos he had taken of it and this report:
“I had just settled down in the hide at Campfield at about 1.30pm when I spotted a Marsh Harrier pursued by a crow flying low over the reeds near the wood,
The Harrier landed in the reeds and I lost it. About 30mins later a Harrier appeared from the west and flew eastward and then turned N.E. toward the coast and so I thought that was it. At that time a flock of Swallows were feeding outside the hide so I went out to try and get photos. Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I saw a Harrier flying in from the N.E. and I looked though the screen and got these shots.
Is there more than one bird?"